Vvq  ^  5  o 


A  Backward  Look. 

* 

M  rs.  C.  E.  Bamford. 

*  A^,  /?, 

A  review  of  the  annual  reports  of 
the  Woman’s  Baptist  Foreign  Mission¬ 
ary  Society  oi;  California  for  the  last 
quarter  of  a  <;entury,  leaves  the  im¬ 
pression  upon  the  mind  that  not  all  of 
the  hard  mission  work  has  been  done 
by  our  missionaries  on  the  foreign 
field;  some  of  it,  at  least,  has  been 
done  by  our  faithful  mission  workers 
at  home.  This  unbroken  history  gives 
us  a  glimpse  of  the  labor,  the  faith, 
and  self-denial  of  the  pioneer  women 
who  organized  this  Society.  They  not 
only  organized,  but  they  carried  the 
Society  forward  until  it  gained  the 
confidence  of  tne  churches,  of  the  mis¬ 
sionaries,  and  of  the  Missionary  Union. 
The  formation  of  this  Society  was  due, 
largely,  to  the  efforts  of  Rev.  and  Mrs. 
Gates,  of  San  Diego,  and  of  Mrs. 
Thorndike  Jameson,  of  Boston. 

The  Society  was  organized  on  Octo¬ 
ber  14,  1874,  at  the  First  Baptist 
church,  San  Francisco.  Mrs.  T.  Jame- 


son  was  elected  president,  but  as  she 
declined  to  accept  the  office,  Mrs.  B. 
S.  MacLafferty  became  the  first  presi¬ 
dent.  Mrs.  F.  M.  Conro  was  elected 
corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  D.  K. 
Woodbridge  recording  secretary,  and 
Mrs.  M.  E.  Wattson  treasurer.  Nine 
ladies  were  placed  on  the  executive 
board,  Mrs.  J.  C.  Ayers,  Mrs.  I.  S.  Kal- 
loch.  Mrs.  C.  I'.  Davis,  Mrs.  C.  P. 
Garthwaite,  Mrs.  A.  R.  Cogswell,  Mrs. 
Heath,  Mrs.  E.  B.  Hulbert,  Mrs.  C.  T. 
L.  Dam  and  Mrs.  S.  Hilton.  The 
founders  of  the  society  desired  that 
all  of  the  Pacific  Coast  churches  should 
unite  in  this  work,  therefore  an  effort 
was  made  to  secure  the  co-operation  of 
the  ladies  of  Oregon,  Washington  Ter¬ 
ritory  and  Nevada,  as  well  as  all  la¬ 
dies  in  California  who  were  not  al¬ 
ready  represented  in  the  Society. 

Before  the  close  of  the  first  year, 
Washington  Territory  allied  itself 
with  the  organization,  Nevada  sent  an 
individual  contribution,  and  the  new 
Society  was  officially  recognized  as  an 
auxiliary  of  the  Missionary  Union. 
The  first  annual  report  shows  the 
work  accomplished  in  foreign  lands 
was  the  support  of  one  Bible  woman 
in  Ningpo,  China,  and  assistance  in 
the  erection  of  a  building  for  the 
school  under  the  care  of  Mrs.  Arthur 
.and  Miss  Kidder  in  Tokio,  Japan. 

The  second  year,  Oregon  joined  the 
oganization  and  materially  aided  in  in¬ 
creasing  the  receipts  of  the  treasury. 
But  some  did  not  understand  the  aims 
of  the  new  mission  society.  It  is  re¬ 
corded  that  a  Baptist  sister  in  Oregon 
had  repeatedly  stated  that  the  mission 
circles  were  political  gatherings,  but 
after  attending  one  of  the  Associations 
of  the  State,  and  finding  that  the  cir¬ 
cles  were  working  to  save  the  heathen, 
this  sister  came  forward  with  tears  in 
her  eyes,  and  said,  “I  want  to  do  some- 


thing  for  that  cause.”  Then  she  made 
her  offering,  and  gave  her  name  for 
membership  in  a  circle. 

For  the  first  eight  years  of  the  So¬ 
ciety  the  principal  work  accomplished 
was  in  supporting  native  children  and 
Bible  women  at  various  stations,  also 
aiding  mission  schools  in  foreign  lands 
and  forming  Bands  and  Circles  upon 
the  Pacific  Coast. 

At  length  Oregon  and  Washington 
Territory  withdrew  from  the  organiza¬ 
tion,  and  in  1883  the  California  Society 
stood  alone,  a.s  it  had  done  the  first 
year.  It  had  long  been  the  earnest 
desire  of  the  Society  to  support  a  par¬ 
ticular  missionary,  who  should  repre¬ 
sent  it  upon  the  foreign  field.  On  en¬ 
tering  into  correspondence  with  the 
East  upon  this  subject,  the  Mission¬ 
ary  Union  requested  the  Society  to  as¬ 
sume  the  support  of  Miss  Skakle,  a 
lady  already  stationed  on  the  Congo 
river,  Africa.  At  this  time,  of  the  107 
churches  of  California,  there  were  hut 
20  churches  identified  with  this  For¬ 
eign  Mission  work,  but  a  hoy  was  be¬ 
ing  supported  in  China,  a  girl  in  Rev. 
Bunker’s  school  in  Burma,  a  Bible 
woman  at  Swatow,  China,  and  the  So¬ 
ciety  made  itself  responsible  for  Miss 
Skakle’s  salary,  at  $500  per  year.  It 
required  faith  and  also  work  to  main¬ 
tain  this  first  missionary.  But  for  four 
years  Miss  Skakle  was  supported  as 
the  Society’s  representative  in  Africa. 

Miss  Skakle’s  interesting  letters  were 
read  in  the  circles  and  in  other  mission¬ 
ary  meetings,  and  to  help  in  keeping  up 
an  ardent  zeal  in  regard  to  that  far¬ 
away  land.  Miss  Skakle  at  one  time  in 
1889  sent  the  Society  a  box  of  African 
curiosities.  Much  interest  was  taken 
by  the  Circles  in  these  mementos  of 
“darkest  Africa.”  Especially  were  the 
ladies  amazed  when  they  saw  the 
heavy  brass  rings  worn  as  ornaments 


by  the  Congo  women.  One  brass  ank¬ 
let  weighed  two  pounds,  and  a  brass 
neck  ring  was  nine  pounds  in  weight 
Miss  Skakle  found  four  or  five  forsak¬ 
en  black  children  that  she  mothered, 
and  tried  to  Christianize,  and  kept 
from  starvation.  She  proved  herself 
to  be  a  most  faithful  Christian  mis¬ 
sionary.  During  the  fourth  year  that 
she  represented  the  Society,  Miss  Ska¬ 
kle  married  Rev.  Mr.  Billington,  an 
English  misionary  on  the  same  field. 
Soon  after  this  ±t  was  deemed  wise 
that  the  Society  should  sever  its  con¬ 
nection  with  Mrs.  Billington,  and  send 
out  a  lady  from  this  coast,  to  a  coun¬ 
try  nearer  home,  as  China  or  Japan. 
It  was  with  sincere  regret  that  Mrs. 
Billington  was  given  up,  for  all  had 
become  deeply  interesteu  in  her  work 
on  the  Congo.  As  Mrs.  Billington  died 
the  next  year,  doubtless  God’s  hand 
was  in  this  change  of  missionaries. 

Rev.  J.  S.  Norvell  and  wife,  soon  af¬ 
ter  this,  offered  themselves  as  mission¬ 
aries  to  China.  After  due  considera¬ 
tion  and  much  prayer  these  well- 
known  and  well-equipped  missionar¬ 
ies  were  accepted,  and  in  January 
1889,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Norvell  sailed  for 
China  under  appointment  by  the  Mis¬ 
sionary  Union,  our  Society  pledging 
their  support.  A  few  months  later, 
Miss  L.  Adele  Phillips,  of  Los  Angeles, 
desired  to  go  as  missionary  to  Japan. 
Miss  Phillips  was  an  earnest  worker, 
and  after  taking  a  special  course  of 
study,  she  was  sent  to  Senaai.  Japan. 

In  1890,  Miss  M.  K.  Scott,  daughter 
of  Mrs.  Dr.  Scott,  desired  to  join  her 
mother  in  Swatow.  Through  the  gen¬ 
erosity  of  our  lamented  Mrs.  E.  H. 
Gray,  of  Oakland,  the  Society  assumed 
Miss  Scott’s  support,  Mrs.  Graj  con¬ 
tributing  the  salary. 

Thus  in  less  than  two  years,  four 
missionaries  were  sent  to  the  foreign 


field,  and  it  was  with  gratitude  that 
the  ladies  reviewed  the  prosperity  of 
the  Society.  But  disappointment 
awaited  them,  for  in  June,  1891,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Norvell  were  obliged,  on  ac¬ 
count  of  Mr.  Norvell’s  failing  health, 
to  lay  down  their  work  in  China  and 
return  to  California.  The  return  of 
these  faithful  missionaries  necessitat¬ 
ed  the  making  of  new  appointments. 

Through  Rev.  J.  Sunderland,  Rev.  J, 
H.  Scott  and  wife,  of  Washington, 
were  secured  as  our  next  missionaries. 
The  appointment  by  the  Union  was 
made  in  1892,  and  they  sailed  for  Jap 
an  with  the  understanding  that  the 
California  Society  should  meet  the  ex¬ 
penses  so  far  as  possible.  For  a  time 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Scott  were  assisted  in 
Osaka  by  Miss  Phillips,  who  had  be¬ 
come  by  this  time  somewhat  familiar 
with  the  Japanese  language  Tne  next 
year  Miss  Phillips  became  by  marriage 
Mrs.  Neitz,  and  tendered  her  resigna¬ 
tion.  Miss  Mattie  Walton,  of  Washing¬ 
ton,  was  soon,  in  1893,  sent  out  to  Os¬ 
aka  to  take  the  place  of  Miss  Phillips. 
Miss  Walton  proved  to  be  a  most 
faithful  missionary,  a  true  helper  of 
our  other  missionaries  in  Osaka  and 
she  was  permitted  to  remain  with 
them  for  several  years.  It  was  with 
the  deepest  regret  that,  at  length  on 
account  of  declining  health,  Miss  Wal¬ 
ton  was  obliged  to  return  to  the  Pa¬ 
cific  coast.  For  seven  or  eight  years 
the  efforts  of  our  Society  have  been 
concentrated,  upon  the  Osaka  field. 
Osaka  is  one  of  the  most  impo  tant 
cities  in  Japan,  and  the  reports  of  our 
missionaries  promise  as  good  results 
in  the  future,  as  in  the  past.  It  is  be¬ 
lieved,  however,  that  if  the  present 
work  is  to  be  maintained  in  that  city 
as  it  is  at  present,  a  lady  helper  should 
soon  be  sent  to  assist  our  missionaries 
in  their  ardous  duties. 


A  review  of  the  records  of  this  So¬ 
ciety  for  the  last  twenty-five  years 
shows  that  between  $33,000  and  $34,000 
have  been  raised  for  missions  during 
this  time.  The  Society  nas  been  in¬ 
terested  at  various  times  in  from  fif¬ 
teen  to  twenty  different  foreign  sta¬ 
tions.  It  has  contributed  toward  the 
excellent  Home  for  missionaries’  chil¬ 
dren  at  Vashon  Island.  Tnrough  the 
Bands  and  Young  People’s  Societies 
three  Christian  Japanese  girls  are  be¬ 
ing  educated  and  trained  as  future 
workers  among  their  own  people.  One 
of  these  girls,  however,  graduated  the 
past  year,  and  is  now  assisting  Mrs. 
Scott  in  Osaka.  In  1885  the  Bureau 
of  Intelligence  was  established,  Mrs. 
Cogswell,  superintendent.  In  1886  the 
Society  was  incorporated  under  Cal¬ 
ifornia  laws.  In  1875  there  were  but 
eight  Circles  reported,  while  in  1899 
there  were  eighty-six  Circles  reported 
in  the  minutes,  besides  the  reports  of 
Bands,  Intermediate  Societies  and 
Juniors. 

During  these  twenty-five  years  162 
laides  have  been  made  “life  mem¬ 
bers”  of  the  Society,  fine  Society  has 
had  eleven  different  presidents.  Their 
names  are  as  follows:  Mrs.  B.  S.  Mac- 
Lafferty,  Mrs.  S.  B.  Morse,  Mrs.  J.  P. 
Cogswell,  Mrs.  C.  S.  Capp,  Mrs.  H. 
Huntsman,  Mrs.  P.  W.  Dorsey,  Mrs.  A. 
W.  Runyan,  Mrs.  B.  Spencer,  Mrs.  C. 
M.  Hill,  Mrs.  R.  E.  Beach,  Mrs.  J. 
Sunderland.  Two  of  these  presidents 
have  served  for  two  terms  each,  name¬ 
ly:  Mrs.  MacLafferty  and  our  present 
able  president,  Mrs.  Sunderland.  All 
of  these  presidents  but  one,  Mrs.  Capp, 
still  survive.  Other  officers  have  been 
loyal  and  true,  some  serving  the  So¬ 
ciety  for  a  long  term  of  years;  as 
Miss  Clara  Hull,  who  was  recording 
secretary  for  seven  years;  Mrs.  C.  F. 
Davis  and  Mrs.  Beach  for  three  years 


each;  Mrs.  C.  Thompson  for  six  years; 
also  Mrs.  William  Fraser  and  Mrs.  Es- 
terly  for  a  shorter  period.  The  ar¬ 
duous  office  of  corresponding  secretary 
was  also  held  by  Mrs.  G.  S.  ADhott  for 
eight  long  years.  Mrs.  Conro  held  this 
office  for  four  years,  Mrs.  L.  P.  Hunts¬ 
man  and  Miss  Mary  E.  Bamford  for 
three  years  each,  and  our  present  effi¬ 
cient  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs. 
Bridges,  for  nearly  four  years.  The 
responsible  office  of  treasurer  was  held 
in  a  meritorious  manner  for  thirteen 
continuous  years  by  Mrs.  B.  C.  Wright, 
who  saw  the  funds  increase  from  less 
than  $500  the  first  year,  to  $3,814.96 
the  thirteenth  year  of  her  labors.  This 
sum  is  the  largest  amount  collected 
in  any  one  year  since  the  organization 
of  the  Society.  The  names  of  our 
three  faithful  treasurers  since  Mrs. 
Wright  resigned,  and  Mrs.  Resseguie, 
Mrs.  J.  J.  Warner  and  our  present 
worthy  treasurer,  Mrs.  G.  W.  Fraser. 
Fraser. 

And  what  shall  we  say  more?  for 
time  would  fail  us  to  tell  of  work  done 
by  the  Associational  and  District  Sec¬ 
retaries  of  the  state;  of  the  labors  of 
Miss  Lillian  Berger,  Miss  Vickroy. 
Miss  Minnie  Ham,  and  Mrs.  Malliet, 
among  the  Bands  and  Juniors,  or  of 
Mrs.  Sa.wtelle’s,  Mrs,  Hill’s.  Miss  Ber¬ 
ger’s,  or  Mrs.  Featherstone’s  and  Mrs. 
Coulson’s  work  as  state  solicitors  for 
the  Helping  Hand.  Then  there  is  a 
long  list  of  worthy  helpers,  whose 
names  would  fill  pages,  who  have 
labored  faithfully  and  have  obtained 
a  good  report,  some  of  whom  are  no 
longer  with  us,  but  are  among  the 
crowned  ones,  gone  before  to  their  re¬ 
ward. 

It  is  impossible  to  report  all  that 
has  been  accomplished  by  this  Society, 
because  much  work  done  cannot  be  re¬ 
corded.  The  Society  has  had  its  days 


of  prosperity  and  its  days  of  adversity. 
What  patient,  faithful,  prayerful  hours 
the  various  hoards  of  directors  have 
spent  in  planning,  devising,  letter 
writing,  speech  making  and  otherwise 
directing  the  work  of  this  Society  so 
successfully  is  only  known  by  our 
Heavenly  Father  and  by  those  in  close 
contact  with  these  ladies  for  many 
years. 

Time  will  not  permit  us  to  speau 
of  the  arduous  labors  of  our  recording 
and  corresponding  secretaries,  of  the 
numerous  letters  written,  and  long  an¬ 
nual  reports  made  out;  or  to  tell  of 
the  treasurer’s  headaching  battles  with 
figures,  or  to  report  the  receptions 
given  by  our  reception  committees, 
Mrs.  Gear,  Miss  Mary  A.  Ham,  Miss 
Florence  Ford,  and  others  to  our  mis¬ 
sionaries  or  rue  heartfelt  prayers  of¬ 
fered  to  our  Heavenly  Fatner  during 
the  existence  of  this  Society.  Yet 
twenty-five  years  is  but  a  youthful 
period,  a  commencement.  God  grant 
that  the  annals  of  this  Society  at  the 
mature  age  of  fifty  years  may  show 
much  greater  progress,  and  may  the 
rays  of  the  Gospel  light  have  then 
penetrated  into  every  dark  corner  of 
this  earthly  globe. 

Let  us  enter  the  next  quarter  of  a 
century  with  a  firmer  trust  in  God  as 
our  helper  and  leader.  For  encourage¬ 
ment  let  us  claim  this  promise  as  our 
own.  “In  due  season  we  shall  reap  if 
we  faint  not.”  Doubtless  the  workers 
of  this  Society  will  sometime  rejoice 
with  joy  unspeakable,  when  in  that 
heavenly  land,  they  shall  meet 
heathen  souls  washed  in  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb,  and  saved  through  the  in¬ 
strumentality  01  the  Woman’s  Baptist 
Foreign  Missionary  Society  of  Cali¬ 
fornia. 

621  East  Fifteenth  Street,  East  Oak¬ 
land,  Cal. 


